Animal Welfare Officers in Northumberland have been given the prestigious platinum PawPrints award by the RSPCA for their work with stray dogs. 

Northumberland County Council’s Animal Welfare Team has received a Platinum Footprint Award from the national animal charity after achieving the Gold status for 10 consecutive years. 

The awards recognise and celebrate public service organisations that go above and beyond to ensure high animal welfare standards in their communities. 

The team were recognised for their regular proactive work educating owners about responsible pet ownership, preventative measures to reduce straying such as providing an out-of-hours service and offering a micro-chipping service. 

They also work tirelessly to reunite stray dogs with their owners, and In 2021/22  dealt with 238 stray dog cases either returning the dogs to their owners or taking them to a place of safety.  Where a case of animal neglect or cruelty is evident, they work hard to prosecute the owners through the courts. 
 

The team also runs a popular Green Dog Walkers Scheme which encourages responsible dog ownership.  

Northumberland County Councillor Gordon Stewart, cabinet member with responsibility for Looking after our Communities said: 

“The dedicated team are deeply committed to animal welfare and work tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of pets and stray animals in the county. I am delighted that the RSPCA has recognised their commitment to animal welfare at a national level. This is a fantastic achievement and very well deserved. 

“It is really important that owners continue to play their part and take the necessary steps to prevent stray dogs before accidents happen. I urge that all dog owners, including those with working dogs, ensure their pets are wearing ID tags, that they are microchipped and that their details are kept up to date on the microchip database.” 

Residents can report animal welfare issues directly to the team by visiting the council’s website www.northumberland.gov.uk